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(lo Indem' F. MUELLER. MUSIC CHART.

No. 569,509.. Patented Oot. 13, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ )[UELLER, OF SPOKAXE, 'ASIIINGTOX.

M USlC-CHART.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 569,509, dated October 13, 1896. Application led December 14, 1895. Serial No. 572,205. 'No model.)

T n all 'rhum it muy l'ulwcru:

Be it known that I, FRANZ MLELLER, a eiti- 1 zen of the United States, residing at Spokane, f

in the county of Spokane and State of 'ashingtou, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Charts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

v i v i i i clear, and exact description of the invention, i

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. ,E This invention contemplates certain new g and useful improvements in music-charts.

It has for its object the production of a simple and improved chart whercbya beginner or one who does not readily read music is enabled to play the chords on the piano or g organ in any key, major or minor, and which will serve as an aid in memorizing accompaniments of all classes of vocal and instrnf mental music.

A further object is to pro-:ide a ehart in which the chords in one key may be quickly and readily distinguished from those of another key.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly` pointed ont in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is :1 face view of myimproved chart, indicating the chords in the key of C. Fig. 2 is a similar view indicating the chords in the key of l-I dat. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line .1: I, Fig. l, Fig. J. is a detail view of the chord-slide.

Referring to the drawings, A designa tes the chart as an entirety, the same consisting of a rectangular board or foundation a, having a representation a' of a portion of the keyboard of a piano or organ running from the second C below middle C to the first D above, the black keys a2 keys a3 and not projecting over the edges of the latter, as is usual on the piano-keyboard.

Above the keyboard a is drawn a double clei B, having not-es b b' indicated thereon, representing the dierent positions of said keys on the musical scale. Adjacent each note b is a designating musical letter be for each black key, said letters indicating the black keys as a half-tone below the basic note, while adjaof said representa-tion, however, being of the same width as the white cent the notes b' are designating musical lettels b, indicating the black keys as half a tone above the basic key, as will be readily understood byone skilled in the art, the black keys, as is well known, being used to indicate a half-tone above the next note below it or a half-tone below the next one above it, as maybe desired. Below the keyboard a is indicated a second double cle C, on which the notes il of the white keys usare indicated, the designating-letters l1 of each note being written directly above it. Below said eletf, and in spaces dlcontinned from the keys a, am indicated the musical names of each note.

l-I is the chord-slide, which mounted in guides c, secured to the board n, and is provided with spaces f' of width corresponding with the keys ai n. In the space c` of said slide, correspomlingr with the first C below middle t', (see l-i-g. 1,) is an indicating-point ci", said space being the basic one in determining the various keys in which it is desired to play the chord combinations. In tllc space e? and in the spaces opposite the notes (i below middle C and E above are figures or signs e, indicating the notes of one of the chords in the key of C, In the spaces opposite second l" below, A below, middle t', and l'` above are figures or signs e", indicating another chord in the keyof C, while the third and last common chord in said key is indicated by the figure or sign e in the spaces opposite second G below, first C below, fiist B below, and first F above, the chords heretofore mentioned being in the major key. The corresponding chords in the minor key are indicated by the figures or signs ci, e", and e", respectively. Below the slide E and in the spaces d3 above cleff C are letters or signs el", indicating the various keys, major and minor, said signs being opposite the basic note of each of the respective keys.

In practice it is only necessary to move slide E longitudinally, so that the indicatingpoint e: will be opposite the basic note or sign indicating the desired key, and then the player has only to strike the combinations indicated by each of the signs e, es, and e6 to get the common chords in the major key or the notes indicated by the signs ei, e", and e" for those of the minor key.

IOO

From what has been said it will be seen that a person having little or no knowledge of music can readily and easily determine the chords of the various keys, major and minor,

and that said chords can be quickly and easily memorized.

I claim as my inventionl- A music-chart having spaces indicated thereon representing a port-ion of a piano-keyboard, and a chord-slide having figures or signs thereon adapted to indicate the chord combinations of each musical key, as set forth.

2. A music-chart having spaces indicated thereon representing a portion of a piano-keyboard,and a chord-slide havingspaces marked thereon corresponding to said former spaces, and figures or signs in said latter spaces adapted to indicate the chord combinations l of each musical key, as set forth.

A music-chart having spaces indicated I thereon representing a portion of a pianokeyboard, spaces below said keyboard and corresponding with said former spaces, signs in said latter spaces indicating the basic note of each musical key, a chord-slide also having Q spaces marked thereon corresponding to said former spaces, signs in the spaces of said chord-slide adapted to indicate thechord comi binations of each musical key, and an indieating-point on said slide for indicating the All of said g basic key-note of each chord, substantially as 5 Set fort-l1.

4. A music-chart having spaces indicated thereon representinga portion of a piano-key boa-rd, spaces below said keyboard and cor- .5 responding with said former spaces, signs in said latter spaces indicating the basic keynote of each musical key, clets arranged above and below said keyboard representation and having the note represented by each key indicated thereon and also its desgnating-letter, a chord-slide also having spaces Q marked thereon corresponding to said former spaces, signs in the spaces of said chord-slide adapted to indicate the chord combinations of each musical key, and an indicating-point on said slide for indicating the basic key-note of each chord, substantially as set forth.

5. A music-chart having spaces indicated thereon representinga portion of a piano-keyboard, spaces below said keyboard and corresponding with said former spaces, signs in said latter spaces indicating the basic keyg note of each musical key, clets arranged f above and below said keyboard and having the note represented by each key indicated I thereon and also its designating-letter, spaces corresponding to the keyboard-spaces and having the musical name of each note indicated thereon, a chord-slide also having spaces marked thereon corresponding to said former spaces, signs in the spaces of said chord-slide adapted to indicate the chord combinations of each musical key, and an indicating-point on said slide for indicating the basic key-note of each chord, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANZ MUELLER. 

